Ms. Mann earned her BA from Binghamton University with a dual major in English and Psychology. Summoning up the courage to enter a graduate program, she received her MST in Childhood and Special Education at Fordham University. Her childhood dream of becoming a teacher was finally realized in 2011 when she began working at The Clinton Hill School. Some of Ms. Mann’s favorite things to do include reading, arts & crafts, cooking & baking and hanging out with her family. Ms. Mann lives in Red Hook, Brooklyn with her husband, two children, two cats and two dogs.

Ms. Garret holds an Associates Degree in Physiology and Liberal Arts from Kingsborough College. She earned a BA in Bilingual Elementary Education from Brooklyn College and a MA in Early Education from Fordham University. She started teaching at PS20 in 1995.

I received my BA in Education and English Language Arts and my MS in Early Childhood/Childhood Education and Science Education from Hunter College. I started my teaching career in 2006 at PS20, and have taught 1st grade, 5th grade, and Kindergarten. I live in Bay Ridge with my son Max and my daughter Ruby. I love to read, bake and explore the city with my kids. I am a huge Mets fan (please don't judge).

I attended the University at Buffalo for my Bachelor's in French with a minor in education. I then spent a year in the French Alps teaching English to grades K-5. After teaching there, I realized what a powerful tool being bilingual is! I came to NYC to get my Master's in TESOL (Teach English to Speakers of Other Languages) and was introduced to to the French Dual Language Programs. These programs satisfy both my desire to give children the opportunity to learn a second language, as well as my talent of using language skills to teach English to native French speakers. I love to read, travel and watch sports. I am from Chicago and love going back to see family, eat deep dish pizza and watch my Cubs. I am so excited for the opportunity to work in this community!

Ms. Teagle received her bachelors degree from New York University in the field of Early Childhood Education and Psychology. She attended Touro College for her Masters degree in the area of General and Special Education and started teaching at PS20 in 2003. She loves art, music, film, and cooking. She currently resides in Clinton Hill with her husband, Franklin, and two cats, Lily and Betty and their two kids.

Ms. Anderson received a BA in Education from Long Island University and a MA in Education from New York University. She has been a teacher at PS20 since 1999. "I live in the Clinton Hill / Fort Greene area of Brooklyn. I am married and have two boys Julian and Malik. I love to read, my favorite author is Toni Morrison. I like to travel and I am a big time "movie buff". I love to teach. My students are full of energy, curiosity, and life."

Ms. Davis earned her BA from Howard University in Biology and MA in Special and General Education from Touro College. She has taught at PS20 since 2000.

Ms. Leathers received her BA from Hunter College in Education and a MA in Education from Tuoro College. She has been a teacher at PS20 since 1999.

Ms. Nicks earned a BA in Criminal Justice from John Jay College and MA in Early Childhood/Elementary Education from Long Island University. She started teaching at PS20 in 2000.

Ms. Dixon received her BA from Hunter College in Social Work and her MA from Hunter College in Education. She started teaching in 1988 and has been at PS20 since 1998.

I’ve been a dancer and dance therapist for over 20 years. I’ve also trained and taught yoga, gymnastics, and taekwondo. I’m self-taught in house and street dance. Some general themes of my teaching practice are justice, activism, connecting to nature, neighborhoods, body positivity, mindfulness, and inclusion.

At PS 20, I am co-sustainability coordinator, and I also help with Rainbow Club for our LGBT+ community, as well as hosting the annual PS 20 Talent Show in the spring.

With lower grades, I focus on creative movement, rhythm, developing style, and social dance. With upper grades, I include a little choreography and history, and start to teach a little technique, such as ballet and hip hop. My philosophy of dance education applies broadly to all techniques.

In September and October, all grades learn Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance, and perform a dance mob at Halloween. Every year, I also include 10-week units of yoga, gymnastics, and martial arts. I try to sprinkle in singing, stories, and yoga practices in every class.

I wholeheartedly believe in the power of the mind body connection. A healthy body fosters a healthy mind. Teaching what I am passionate about is a big gift to me and that is what I share with our students.

We will learn fitness concepts, movement skills, muscle groups, nutrition, mindfulness activities and responsible behavior. We engage in a variety of activities and small sided games to put skill into dynamic practice. We focus on practice over results. We prioritize enjoyment of moving our bodies.

Through mindfulness activities like yoga and Brain Power Wellness, all students learn:

• Responsible behavior — awareness of space, safe handling of equipment.
• Value of physical activity.

Grades K–2: Movement skills & concepts — balance, jumping, landing, catching/throwing, kicking, passing, receiving, dodging, locomotor and non-locomotor skills, coordination.

Grades 3–5: Skill-related fitness concepts such as agility, reaction time, coordination, balance, speed and power.

Bonjour! Je suis Madame Lautard. I am Julia Lautard, one of the two French as a second language teachers. One of the many things I love about P.S. 20 is that every child gets the opportunity to learn a second language (or for some, a third or even a fourth).

In learning another language children have the opportunity to learn to learn — that is, to develop unique cognitive skills that they will then transfer, often without realizing it, to other academic areas. It requires them to be patient, observant, to ask themselves questions, to compare (with English, Spanish, Italian, etc.), to find meaning based on context clues, to learn to hear and produce new sounds (which requires a real “brain gymnastic”). These are skills that transform the way a child approaches academic learning, the same way music helps students with mathematics (according to research).

Learning another language also invites students to take risks — that is, to be immersed in the process, the wonder that is learning, and to care more about it than landing on the perfect outcome. This does wonders for their sense of self, and it nurtures their love of learning, their innate curiosity. We do this through a lot of trials and errors, and I gradually (as the year goes by) spend more time in each class on listening and speaking skills.

Bonjour! My name is Andrew Ortner, or simply Mr. O. I grew up in the city, but lived in France during the summers in my childhood and later studied in the South of France in high school and college. I love to scuba dive, ride my bike, practice yoga, play the drums, and admire my two cats, Cosmo and Poly.

I teach French as a second language for 3-K through 2nd grades. My classes engage students in French learning through music, art, and science. This year I will introduce the wonders of the undersea world in the French language through Jacques Cousteau and his works, as well as sharing videos of my own diving experiences. We will learn about the delicate environments and how to protect our waters and earth.

In doing so, we will practice new vocabulary as well as verbs and adjectives. My 1st and 2nd graders will have a focus on producing oral French (dialogues and questions) especially. We will also explore writing and reading in French.

I am the instrumental music teacher at PS 20, servicing grades K through 5. Music is once per week with an emphasis on learning to play the following band instruments: clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, bass, or drums. All classes will work on rhythm, reading notated music (1st–5th) and music theory.

Kindergarteners begin their musical journey with percussion instruments, recorder, and the trumpet. They work solely on reading rhythms rather than actual notes during their first year.

1st–5th grade will work on learning to play and read all notated music on their chosen instrument.

During library visits, literacy is promoted through read-aloud sessions with books that align with the IB PYP Learner Profile attributes and the IB PYP Attitudes, while incorporating Reading with Purpose and the 5 Keys to Storytelling.

• Digital literacy and digital citizenship. The importance of learning how to be responsible digital citizens is promoted through the use of computers, as well as audio books, as part of the library classes.
• Research skills. Students develop research skills geared towards their IB Units of Study by using books, periodicals, and the internet.
• Multicultural competency. Diversity, tradition, culture, and language are explored, shared and discussed through literature, research, and geography. Spanish vocabulary is incorporated into discussions to promote exposure to additional languages.

I am a seasoned educator and lifelong advocate for the environment. I see grades K–5 once a week in the Hydroponics Lab, and during that time students will be Farmer Scientists, learning a variety of topics such as hydroponics and the environment, aquaponics (fish!), germination, and plant life cycles. You can look forward to your student(s) proudly bringing home vegetables that they grew themselves throughout the school year.

Additionally, using the Amplify Science curriculum as a resource, students will engage in grade specific topics and investigations.

When I’m not at school you can find me hanging out with my 2 kids, playing with our dog, or going for runs throughout our beautiful city.